Charles Mingus Centennial Celebration
Featuring Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

One of the most important figures in jazz, Charles Mingus was a virtuoso bass player, accomplished pianist, bandleader, and genius composer. He performed with Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and other luminaries. His singular compositional voice led many to consider him the heir apparent to Duke Ellington. 

A fierce advocate for musicians’ rights and creative efforts, Mingus remains, more than forty years after his death, an inspiration for artists seeking to blaze their own trails and take charge of their own destinies.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis will honor the legacy of Mingus, who was born in Arizona in April 1922, in a centenary performance with music direction by trombonist and composer Vincent Gardner. With a blend of swinging hard bop, Afro-Latin grooves, and deeply felt blues that characterized Mingus’ pen, the concert will demonstrate why Mingus’ music remains some of the most beloved jazz of all time. 

The orchestra will be making its eighth appearance at Eisenhower Auditorium. Marsalis, who has visited Penn State with the big band and smaller ensembles, will perform on the Eisenhower stage for the ninth time.

As part of our Up Close and Virtual series, we also presented a recorded performance of The Democracy! Suite, featuring Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Septet with Wynton Marsalis, in November 2020.